Electric water-heater.



No. '670,l72. Patented Mar. l9, 1901.

W. F. FOLLETT. ELECTRIC WATER HEATER.

(Application filed Dec. 10, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Shack I.

(No Modal.)

lgazgior,

with,

No. 670,l72. Patented Mar. l9, I901.

- W. F. FOLLETT.

ELECTRIC WATER HEATER.

'Application filed Dec. 10, 1900.)

(No llodel.) 2 Sheets8heat 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

WALDO F. FOLLETT, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC WATER HEATER.

PECIFIUATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 670,17 2, dated March19, 1901.

Application filed December 10, 1900. Serial ll0. 39,3'78- (No model.)

T0 at whont it ntcty concern:

Be it known that I, VVALDO B. FOLLETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Haven, in the countyof New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have invented a new and useful Electric Water-Heater, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric heaters in general, and moreparticularly to heaters for water, one object of the invention being toprovide a cheap, simple, and efficient construction which may take theplace of the usual coal-burning water-heater used in a system ofhot-water heating or may he used for local heating, as preferred.

A further object of the invention is to provide a heater wherein therewill be an eflicient circulation and wherein the heatingresistance-coils will be so arranged as to be protected from injury andto prevent shortcircuiting.

Additional objects of the invention relate to the means for varying therelative connections of the coils to vary the temperature and to thespecific construction of the parts of the device, the objects andadvantages of which will be apparent from the following description.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in whichlike numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views,Figure 1 is an elevation showing the heater partly broken away toillustrate the arrangement of the resistance-coils and illustrating thearrangement of the switch. Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the metal maincasting which contains the water to be heated, a portion thereof beingshown in section to illustrate the arrangementof the pipes. Fig. 8 is anend elevation showing a portion of one of the heads and one of the pipesin section. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the casting. 5 is a transversesection through the complete heater, showing the arrangement of thewiresupporters, the cement insulating material, and the inclosingplates. Fig. 6 is a plan View of the switch with the top thereofremoved. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the complete switch. Fig. 8 is atransverse section taken centrally through the switch. Fig. 9 is abottom plan view of the switch-plate with the brushes thereon.

Referring now to the drawings, the present heater consists of a maincasting comprising two similar heads 10 and 11, which are hollow and aredisposed parallel, the mutuallyadjacent faces of the heads being flat,asshown in Fig. 3, and lying parallel. Connecting the saidmutually-adjacent faces of the heads are pipes or tubes 12, separated byinterspaces, as illustrated, and which pipes or tubes communicate atopposite ends with the heads, which latter are hollow. Theexternaldiameters of the pipes or tubes are equal and are somewhat lessthan the widths of the heads, so that they are spaced inwardly from theside edges of the heads.

Spaced from the outermost pipes or tubes by in terspaces s ubstantiallyequal to the spacing of the tubes one from another aretransversely-rectangular uprights or supportingbars 125, and beyondthese bars are formed end flanges 14:, the projection of which beyondthe bars 13 is equal to the inward spacing of the tubes from the sideedges of the heads.

Centrally of the outer faces of the heads 10 and 11 are formed tubularsockets 15, adapted to receive pipe connections to convey the heatedwater from and the cooled water back to the heater.

The resistance-coils employed are wound between the heads of thecasting, and in order that they may be held spaced from the tubes 12insulating spoolsections 16 are employed, these sections being eachsemicylindrical in form, and in their curvilinear faces are cut threads17. These threads are so cut that if the two sections were placed withtheir fiat faces in contact there would be produced a cylinder having acontinuous helical groove from one end to the other thereof. Thus whenthe two sections are separated and disposed, as shown, upon the rods orbars 13 the arcuate grooves of one section correspond to the grooves ofthe other section. Longitudinally of the flat faces of the sections 16are formed grooves which permit of the sections being securely fitted tothe bars 13 to prevent rotation thereon, the ends of the sectionsclosely fitting against the inner faces of the heads. After thesupporting spool-sections are put in place the resistance-coils arewound in the grooves thereof. In the present instance there are showntwo coils l8 and 19,

the former being wound from the upper ends of the spool-sectionshalf-way of their lengths, while the second coil is wound upon theremaining portions of the spool-sections. From the upper end of the coil18 there leads a wire 20, and from the lower end of the lower coil thereleads a wire 21, while a third wire 22 is connected with the mutuallyadjacent ends of the two coils to provide for connecting them inmultiple, as hereinafter described, as well as in series.

Filled in between the tubes 12 is a filling 24, of cement, this cementbeing also disposed to inclose the resistance-coils and extending to lieflush with the side and end faces of the heads of the casting, andcovering this cement are side plates 25 and end plates 26, which act inconnection with the heads to completely inclose the cement, the coils,and the tubes. In one of the end plates are formed perforations26,havinginsulating-bushings 27 therein, and through these bushings arepassed the conducting-wires 20, 21, and 22.

It will be noted that in the present instance the heads and tnbes,withthe supporting-bars, are formed integral, although it will of course beunderstood that they may be formed separately and then connected, ifdesired. In connection with this portion of the apparatus abovedescribed there is employed a switch designed for manipulation to sendan energizing-current through the two coils in series, through the firstcoil alone, or through the two coils in multiple, as preferred, to varythe heating effect of the apparatus. The switch consists of a base-plate30, of insulating material, and upon the base are mounted a number ofsegmental contact-strips 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35, disposed about a commoncenter, at which point there is disposed a stud 36 for supporting theswitch-plate, hereinafter described. The contact-strips 31 and 32 may betermed the linecontacts, as they are connected with binding-posts 37 and38, to which the feed or line wires are connected, while the remainingstrips may be termed the coil-contacts, for the reason that theconducting-wires 20, 21, and 22 are connected thereto. The wires 20, 21,and 22 are attached directly to binding-posts 39, 40, and 41, the

strip 33 being connected to post 41, the strip 34 to the post 39, andthe strip 35 to the post 40. The stud 36 has its upper end reduced toform a shoulder 42, and upon this reduced portion and resting on theshoulder is a switch-plate 43. On the under face of the switch-plate,which is rotatable with the stud, are secured insulating-b1ocks 44 and45 at diametrically opposite points of the plate. On the block 44 thereis disposed a plate 46, having three contact-fingers so spaced that theymay be brought into contact with strips 32, 34, and 35, these fingersbeing shown at 47, 4S, and 49, respectively. Upon the block 45 isdisposed a plate 50, having fingers 51 and 52, adapted for contact withstrips 31 and 33 or with 31and 34, depending upon the position of theswitch-plate. The fingers are so positioned that when the switclrplateis rotated to contact the fingers4-7 and 49 with strips and 35 and withthe finger 48 from contact with strip 34 and with the fingers 51 and 52in contact with strips 31 and 34 then the circuit will be from the post37 to strip 31, finger 51, plate 50, linger 52, strip 31-, post 39, wire20, to the upper end of the upper coil, through the two coils in series,wire 21, post 40, strip 35, finger 40, plate 46, finger 47, and strip 32to post The entire current thus fiows through the two resistancecoils inseries. When the heating effect is to be increased, the switch-plate isfurther rotated until lingers 51 and 52 are moved so that finger restson strip Thecurrent then flowsfrom. post 37 to strip 31, linger 51,plate 50, finger 52, strip 33, and wire 22 to the mutually-counectedends of the two resistance-coils, then through the lower coil to wire 21to post 40, the lower coil being thus alone in circuit, with the resultthat there is a greater rate of flow of currentand the rcsistzmce-coilis raised to a higher degree of temperature. If the switch-plate is nowturned until the lingers 47, 48, and 49 rest upon the strips 32, 34, and35, respectively, the fingers 51 and 52 will remain upon the strips 31and 33, when the fiow will be from post to the mutually-connected endsof the two coils in the same manner as above described, at which pointthe current: will divide, a portion flowing through the upper coil andthrough the wire 20110 the post 39 and strip 34 and the remainderflowing through the lower coil and through the wire 21 to post 40 andstrip 35. The current from strips 34 and 35 flows through lingers 4S and49 to plate 46 and thence through linger 47 to strip and post 33. Vfhenthe switch is in this adjustment, it will be seen that the tworesistance-coils are connected in multiple, so that the resistance isfurther reduced and the rate of flow of current is increased, with theresult of agreater heating effect. VJheu the switch-plate is adjustedwith all of the contactdingers off of the contact-strips 31 and 32, thenthere is no fiow through the resistance-coils. The contact-strips areinclosed by a wall upon the base of the switch, and exterior to thiswall is a post 61, at the upper end of which is an index. The upper faceof the switch-plate is marked with the words Full, Half, Low, and Off,corresponding to the positions of the lingers, and when the plate isrotated to bring a word under the index the fingers are in position tosecure corresponding results in the heater. The post 60 forms also astop in the path of movement of outwardly-directed lugs 63 and (54 onthe periphery of the switch-plate, these lugs acting to stop the platewhen the switch is off and when it is full, respectively. A thumbpiece66 is disposed against the upper face of the switch-plate, to which itis secured by means of screws, as shown, passed upwardly through theswitch-plate, said thumb-piece having an opening therethrough whichreceives the reduced portion of the stud 36. The thumb-piece is furtherprevented from displacement by means of a nut 37, which is engaged withthe end of the stud.

It will be understood that in practice the resistance-ooils may bedivided into as many sections as desired and a corresponding switch usedand that various other modifications may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is 1. An electric heater comprising spaced hollow heads,tubes connecting the heads and separated by interspaces, aresistance-coil wound between the heads and encircling the tubes,covering-plates secured to the heads and inclosing the coil, and meansfor holding the coil spaced between the tubes and cover ing-plates.

2. An electric heater comprising spaced hollow heads having means forconveying fluid from one to the other, said means being spaced inwardlyfrom the side and end faces of the heads, a resistance'coil woundbetween the heads and encircling the conveying means, covering-platessecured to the heads and inclosing the coil, and means for holding thecoil spaced between the conveying means and the covering-plates.

3. An electric heater comprising spaced hollow heads, means connectingthe heads for conveying fluid from one to the other insulatingspool-sections held adjacent said conveying means and projectinglaterally therebeyond ,said spool-sections having grooves therein, thegrooves of one spool-section forming helical continuations of thegrooves of the other section, and a resistance-coil wound in saidgrooves and spaced from the conveying means.

4. An electric heater comprising spaced hollow heads, means connectingthe heads for conveying fluid from one to the other, insulatingspool-sections held adjacent to said conveying means and projectingtherebeyond, said sections having grooves therein, the grooves of onesection forming helical continuations of the grooves of the othersection, a coil wound in the grooves and held by the spool-sectionsspaced from the conveying means, and covering-plates connected with theheads and inclosing the coil.

5. An electric heater comprising spaced hollow heads having meansconnected therewith for conveying fluid from one to the other,supporting-rods disposed adjacent to the said means, insulatingspool-sections engaged with the rods and projecting laterally beyondsaid means, said sections having grooves therein, the grooves of onesection forming helical continuations of the grooves of the othersection, a resistance-coil wound in the grooves of the spool-sectionsand a protecting-covering for the coil.

6. An electric heater comprising spaced hollow heads having tubesconnecting them for conveying fluid from one to the other,supporting-rods connecting the heads and spaced outwardly from theoutermost tubes, insulating spool-sections engaged with the rods, saidsections having grooves formed therein, the grooves of one sectionforming continuations of the grooves of the other section, aresistance-coil wound in the grooves, an insulating-filling inclosingthe coil, and coveringplates secured to the heads and inclosing thespace therebetween.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WALDO F. FOLLETT.

Witnesses:

GEORGE M. BRooKs, JAMES BISHOP.

